Mick Dodson

Professor Mick Dodson AM "is a member of the Yawuru peoples. He is the Director of the National Centre for Indigenous Studies at the ANU, and Chairman of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. Professor Dodson represents Indigenous people of the Pacific region on the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

His brother is Patrick Dodson.


 * Co-Chair, Reconciliation Australia
 * Patron, Lawyers Beyond Borders

In 2006 Dodson noted that: "Reconciliation Australia has a great partnership with BHP Billiton and, as Chip has said, its main product, the Indigenous Governance Awards, are providing many important, inspiring lessons about the way forward in reconciliation."

Comments relating to Australia Day
In 2009: "Just minutes after he became the 2009 Australian of the Year, Aboriginal leader Mick Dodson used his first public address to also criticise the celebration of Australia Day. He said that for many Aboriginals January 26 is not a day for celebration but “a day of mourning” and “the day in which our world came crashing down”.

"Australia Day is marked as Invasion Day or Survival Day by many Aboriginal Australians and their supporters, Dodson pointed out. He called for a “national conversation” about changing the day to a more appropriate date. He also said the issue of compensation to the Stolen Generations still needs to be addressed — an option already dismissed by the federal ALP government.

"The government hurried to rule out any idea of changes to Australia Day. “To our Indigenous leaders, and those who call for a change to our national day, let me say a simple, respectful but straightforward no”, said PM Kevin Rudd on January 26, in reply to Dodson’s speech."

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 * Jo Victoria